Safety razor



Feb. 23, 1954 .1. T. SCULLY 2,669,777

SAFETY RAZOR Filed Jan. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4/ a! 4; FIE-.6 5- vIN V EN TOR,

xvii 5mm 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Fl Er. 1 1

Feb. 23, 1954 Filed Jan. 29, 1945 FIEMZ Fl B13 INVENTOR, @4 2 PatentedFeb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES iTENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to safety razors generally and moreparticularly to the type wherein a thin, replaceable or detachable,flexible razor blade is flexed and clamped between cap and guard membershaving cooperative blade-flexing faces shaped to flex the bladeaccurately, the cap and guard members being relatively movable towardsor away from each other by manipulation of a threaded handle; suchrazors being com monly known as of the Gillette type.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a safety razor ofsimple construction, and of easy and economical manufacture; theprovision of a safety razor, embodying a replaceable, facedlyreversible, flex ble razor blade, having improved means for positioningthe blade and guiding it as it is being flexed between clamping members,for improved parallelism of the shaving edges with the axis of the razorhead and improved equalization of shaving edge pro jection on oppositesides thereof; the provision of a safety razor having such improvedblade guiding means and a guard member facedly reversible to the capmember for providing variations of exposure of the shaving edges of theblade to the guard at a given degree of fiexure of the blade and,especially, to provide a relatively high or relatively low exposure ofthe shaving edges to the guard, according to which of the guard facesfaces the blade, at the maximum degree of blade fiexure or when theblade is most tightly clamped.

Other objects will hereinafter be apparent from the description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing.

The invention resides in the combinations and arrangements of parts, thecooperative action of parts, and the construction of individual partsereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing forming a part of the specification and inwhich similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views:

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of the component parts of the razor indisassembly, a portion of the handle being shown in section. Fig. 2 isan end view of the guard. member. an end view, partly in section, of thecap member. Fig. i is an end view, partly in section, of the razor headshowing the razor blade clamped in operative shaving position betweenthe cap and one blade-flexing face of the guard member. Fig. 5 is an endview showing the blade clamped substantially as tightly as in Fig. lbetween the cap and the other blade-flexing face of the guard member.Fig. 6 is an end view, with parts shown in section, showing the relativepositions of parts just prior to flexing and clamping the blade as inFig. i. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the razor head with the parts inposition as in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a typical double edgeflexible razor blade. Fig. 9 is an end view showing a modification ofguard member. Fig. 10 is a top elevation of a modification of a part ofthe guard member. Fig. 11 is a plan face view of a further modificationof guard member. Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line ill-l2 ofFig. 11 with the part turned ninety degrees. Fig. 13 is a side elevationof a modification of the guard member shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

Referring more particularly to the drawing:

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusivecomprises a cap member 28, double edge perforated flexible razor blade2|, guard member 22 and handle 23. Cap member 2t has projecting from itsconcave or blade-flexing face central externally threaded post 24 ofsufficient length to extend through the blade and guard member into thethreaded end of the handle, and on opposite sides of, and spaced from,the central post are rigid aligning and positioning studs 25 and 26.Blade 2! is of the usual and well known construction, being perforatedcentrally in the form of slot having enlarged portions 27, 23 and 29 toreceive cap post and cap studs 2%, .25 and 26, and is of normallystraight thin body longitudinally, as indicated by ill, and is providedwith the usual oppositely disposed, sharpened, longitudinal edgesproviding the shaving edges 3i and 32. Guard member 22 is provided withthree aligned longitudinally spaced cylindrical holes 33, 34 and 35extending from one blade-flexing face of the member to theother toreceive cap post and studs M, 5 and 2E and, preferably, is substantiallythe same length as the cap member 23 with flat end faces 36. The partsare assembled in the usual manner: threaded cap post 24 being engaged byinternal threads 3'! of the handle, members 28 and 22 being forcedtowards each other, relatively, by the turning of the handle, causingblade 2! to be transversely flexed and clamped by the cooperative actionof concave blade-flexing face 38 of the cap, more particularly thelongitudinal edges of the face, and one of the blade-flexing faces 39 orso of the guard member.

Referring more particularly to reversible guard member 22, the convexblade-flexing faces 553 and it are transversely curved on the sameradius and have a curvature substantially complementary to blade-flexingface 33 of the cap. Projecting laterally outwardly of faces 33 and Ml,on opposite longitudinal sides thereof and equidisstant laterallytherefrom, are parallel, longitudinal skin guards 4| and 42 which may beformed in the guard member in any suitable manner shown in the art andof any suitable material or materials; as shown herein, the guard membercomprises a laminated assembly of a rigid, rectangular, i'iat sheet 43fixedly secured between piano-convex rigid parts M and 45, parts 43, Mand it being suitably fastened together by riveting, or soldering,'orwelding, as'may be desired, and, as shown herein, by soldering. Theprojecting and longitudinally extending ends of skin guards ll and t?!are symmetrically rounded on opposite faces of sheet 13 and on oppositesides of the guard member as indicated at 46, ll and at it, the shapeand length of curvature of the rounding being the same onb oth faces andat both sides of the sheet and being so shaped and related to the curveof blade-flexing faces 38, 39 and til as to provide a shaving angle orangles according to the best-practicein the art or commerce. Importantfeatures in the reversible guard member are that eitherblade-flexingfac'e'thereoi is cooperative with thecap member for flexingand clamping the razor blade with the shaving edges thereof in operativeshaving position to the skin guards and that one bladeflexing face, islower relatively to the shin guards than the opposite blade-fiexing facetil, whereby, when the blade is clamped tightly between faces Stand3t,'the shaving edges of the blade will be exposed relatively to theskin guards preferably substantially as high. as in the bestcommercial'practice employed in theimproved razors of the Gillette typewhen the parts-thereof are similarly tightly clamped and'the bladeflexed substantially to the same degree; and, further, whereby, when theblade is clamped tightlyto the same degree between faces 38 and Gil, theshaving edges of the blade will be exposed higher relativelyto theskin-guardsg'in bothcases, however,neither face 38 nor facefililistoohieh relativelyand to the skin guards for operativeshaving' intheusual safeinanner and, preferably, face '40, the higher face, is lowenough to the skin guards to permit operative shaving in a-safe manherwith less than full flexure of blade and, consequently, with a stillrelatively higher exposure of shaving'edges'to, skin guards. Thedifference in height, relative to face widths 'andto skin guards, offaces stand ill maybe any suitable distance within the limits ofoperative shavingand is such a distance-preferably, whereby, when theblade isclarnped to the same degree of tightness between capandiace'tior capand' face 42],the

differencein height of shaving-edge exposure to the respective skinguardsiis not greater than twice the height of'theflowershavingedgeexposure and, preferably,'does not exceed one-one hundredths of aninch, and, more preferably, does not exceed: 30 i of an'inch' in someinstances, the guard member may be'made withla relative difference inface heights which will, when the blade is clamped to the'same degree oftightness between champ and face 38' or between thecap andface as,effect a difierence" in height of-shavingedge exposure to the'respectiveskin guards of not more than .002 of an inch, or substantially .002 ofan inch. Since gua-rd'member 22 is show'n'withconvex faces 3t and'tll'curved on the same radius and having the same widthsland also the samewidth as face 38' of the'capZt) it will be clear, upon referencetoFig."'2,'that for purposes of illustration thereferred to relative'diiiference in face heights will'beunderstood by considering the lineA--'A"a plane through the til) guard member at the edges of itsblade-flexing face 39 and paralleling a plane axially through the skinguards represented by the line 13-43, and by considering the line C-C aplane through the guard member at the edges of its bladeiiexing face 66and paralleling AA and B-B'. It will readily be seen that the distancebetween A-A and B--B' is less then the distance between BF-B and 0-0andthat, consequently, blade-flexing "face 39 is lower, relatively toskin guardsill and 42 than is blade flexing face 40 (it having beenobserved that guard faces 46, 41, E8 and 4-9 are symmetrically relatedto axial plane I Cap studs 25 and 2B are provided, for a por-"tioiroftheirlengths, with lateral parallel sides shaving edgessubstantially equally exposed laterally to and extending substantiallyparallel with the blade-flexing edges of the cap member before the bladeis flexed into operative shaving position, and constitute, together withthe'holes 34 and 35 in the guard memben cap andguardaligning means orguard-guidingmeans, cylindrical portions 50, 5t havlng'a cl0se,-butpracticable, sliding fit in holes 34% and. 35: and being of suitablelength for initially positioning the cap and, guard members and theb1ade-and:for guidingthe movements of the capa-nd guardmembersrelatively towards, or away from, each other. The inner ends of thestuds 25 and 2firextending from cylindrical portions 56, 5D to the inneror concave face of the capmember havelaterallyinclined sides convergingin the direction of the concave faceof thecap and-forming oppositelateral sides of frusto-conicalportions 5 I, 5| of the studs'whose outerand free ends 52, 52 have-the usual dome shape for easy entrance intoblade'and guard holes. Inclined portions'5l,-5 I havea definite degreeofinclination or rate'of taper, for their lengths, definitely'related tothe degree of flexure of the blade that the blade-flexingfaces of thecapjandguard members will efiectyand constitute blade-guiding means forguiding the arcingof the blade during all degrees of transverse flexingto maintain the shaving; edgesof the blade substantially equally exposedlaterally-to and extending substantially -'-parallel with thebladeflexing edges of "the cap member and the; skin guards'ofthe guardmember. The studs may be cast integral on the cap or madeof'a difierentand suitable material-and weldedv or soldered in holes andin accuratealignment in the cap as shown in-Fig. 3, the studs being provided withcylindrical end portions 53 for thepurposeyin some instances, theholesin'the cap may be internally threaded and portions 53 externallythreaded'for cooperative fastening engagement. Blade locating orpositioning portions 53, 50 of the studs-have a widthbetween-theirrespective opposite lateral sides only slightly less than holes 28 and29 of the blade in-order'that the blade may be accurately, if not so;quickly, positioned thereon initially; and" center post 24 of the capmember has a diameter smaller enough than hole 21 of thebladetopreventthe hole'walls of the blade from catching'on thethreadsrof thepost before or during fiexurebf the-blade. In Eig,;.4, the parts are"shown tightly drawn, together with the cap and guard members held inproper alignment by the cooperative action of stud portions 50, 50 andguard hole walls 54, 54, and with the blade tightly clamped between theblade-flexing face of the cap member and the low blade-flexing face ofthe guard member and providing the low exposure of blade shaving edgesto skin guards as indicated by the distance of a plane contiguous withthe shaving edges of the blade and represented by the line D-D from theparallel plane, represented by the line BB, through the axis of the skinguards; as will be observed, the blade has been transversely flexed andarched upwardly or in the direction of the cap member by the turning ofthe handle and the forcing of the parts together, and with the lateralwalls of the blade adjacent the holes 28, 29 thereof, more particularly.due to the direction of blade arcing, the portions of the lateral wallsof the blade which are on the shorter radii, as indicated at 55, havingcooperated with frusto-conical portions i, 5!! of the cap studs toposition the blade with the shaving edges thereof substan tially equallyexposed laterally to the respective skin guards.

In Fig. 5, the parts are shown drawn together to the same degree oftightness as shown in Fig. 4, but with the guard member reversibly facedso that the blade is clamped between the cap memher and the highblade-flexing face of the guard member providing the high exposure ofblade shaving edges to skin guards as indicated by the distance of aplane contiguous with the shaving edges of the blade, and represented bythe line E-E', from the parallel plane, represented by the line BB,through the axis of the skin guards. In Fig. 6, the relationship ofparts is shown in their position just before the blade will go undertension and where the slightest tightening of the handle will cause thecommencement of blade flexing: one face of the blade is touching theblade-flexing edges of the cap membar, and the opposite face of theblade is tangentially touching the blade-flexing face of the guardmember, in this instance low face 39, substantially centrally along saidface; and with the cap and guard aligning and blade positioning orlocating cylindrical portions of the cap studs well seated in the guardmember and providing the proper alignment of the parts. With the partsin this position, the cylindrical portions of the cap studs extendalmost clear through the blade holes, the inner ends 56 of said portionsbeing in position in the holes of the blade at a depth between one-halfto two-thirds of the blade; the frusto-conical blade guiding portions ofthe cap studs extend substantially the remaining distance into the bladeholes; and since the usual blade may be either regular and .006 thick orthin and .004 of an inch thick, the blade .21 shown here may, forpurposes of this illustration, be considered as of .006 of an inchthickness, and the depth, to give a concrete example, from the capcontacting face, to which ends 56 and the conical portions of the capstuds extend into the holes of this blade is, as shown, but not by wayof limitation, approximately midway between .003 and .004 of an inch inorder that a thinner blade, for example a blade .004 thick, may beproperly positioned and guided. In the position shown, the blade issubstantially prevented from lateral movement by the lateral sides ofthe portions of the cylindrical portions of the cap studs which are inthe blade holes, the conical or guiding portions being substantiallyVspaced, as indicated at 51, 51, from the rectangular or vertical wallfaces of the blade holes. As the cap and guard members are forcedrelatively towards each other by the turning of the handle and the bladeis being flexed, the blade holes become smaller laterally so that thewall portions of the blade opposite the lower portions or bottoms of theholes will be guided, compensatory to reduction in hole size, by theinclined or conical portions of the cap studs whereby, when the blade isclamped for operative shaving, the shaving edges of the blade will besubstantially equally exposed laterally to the respective skin guards,as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and previously described.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the reversible guard member 22a, ofsimilar laminated structure, has oppositely disposed fiat blade-flexingfaces 39a and 40a of equal width and narrower than the cap member whichlaterally overhangs the rounded fulcrum edges of the blade-flexing facesof the guard member. As shown in this modification, the parts areclamped to the same degree of tightness as the parts shown in Fig. 4,with the parts functioning in the same manner for positioning andguiding the blade for substantially equalized exposure laterally of theshaving edges to the skin guards, and to provide the same high or lowexposures of the shaving edges to the skin guards as previouslydescribed. The distance between planes D-D and B-B is the same asdescribed in connection with Fig. 4, and blade-flexing face 40acooperates with the cap to provide the high exposure of blade shavingedges described in connection with Fig. 5; in the construction shown inFig. 9, however, as will be observed, because of the narrowerblade-flexing faces of the guard member, the heights of theblade-flexing faces thereof are respectively greater than in theconstruction shown previously (Fig. 2), the planes F-F and G-G' beingrespectively higher relatively to the plane BB' than the planes A-A. andC-C", but the relative difference in heights of faces 39a and 40a andthe actual heights of blade shaving edge exposure to the respective skinguards, as indicated by the planes D-D' and B-B', are the same as in thepreviously described construction. Either of the described guard membersmay have lather passing longitudinal slots on opposite lateral sides,and in Fig. 10 is shown a modification of the rigid rectangular sheetpor-- tion 43a, of the laminated assembly of guard member shown in Fig.9, having lather passing slots 58 and 59 extending longitudinally onopposite sides thereof and behind the skin guard bars l I a and 42a, theslots being laterally disposed to the blade-flexing faces of the guardmember with the longitudinal side walls of the latter, at the rear ofthe slots, vertically flush with the inner sides of the slots.

In the modification of the part shown in Figs. 11 and 12, guard member221) is of one piece construction and is provided with oppositelydisposed lather passing slots 53a. and 59a respectively spacing skinguard bars Mb and 42h from the blade supporting head; the cap centralpost receiving hole 33a is countersunk, as indicated at 31th, in bothblade-flexing faces 39a and 40a to receive the threaded end of thehandle; in other respects, guard member 221) is the same as thepreviously described guard member 22a.

In the further modification of the guard memshown. Fig. 13, guard member220 is provided with oppositely disposed skin guard bars die, oppositeends of which, at the ends of the lather passing slots, provide bladecorner skin access? sguards inithe' form-of shoulder en'ds fit'l; 61which I are relatively higher than-the intermediate portionsbf the-skin"guardbars at their tops and bottoms, but substantially flush withthe front "andskin'engagingfaces of 'tilerounded guardYteeth'.GZ-alternately spaced in t-hebars by grooves '53extending'rcarwardly to the outer sides of the lather passing'slots.Shoulder ends 69, 6| are *lcw enough relatively to the respectivebladeflexing faces of the guard member so as not to interfere with'atight clamping of the blade, especially a thin blade -.00 -l of an inchin thicknesspand so'as not to-distort the blade corners which will be,preferably, spaced, whenthe blade "is-tightlyclamped, a suitably shortdistanceabove the shoulders for the purposeof avoiding contact therewithand-for enabling the shoulders to more closely guard thefiblade-edgecorners than the skin guardbar portions between the shoulders guard theshaving edges of the blade between the blade edge corners. Shoulderstt,may, ifdesired, be symmetrically high with respect to "the blade-flexingfaces of the guard member wherein both blade-flexing faces will have thesame height with res actto-the corresponding ,adjacentshou-lder ends ofthe slain guards and whereby shoulder ends 69 and 6! adjacent thehigh'face dla will be relatively' higher "to guard teeth 62- thantheshoulderends correspondingly adjacent the low face-of the guardmember will be to teeth 62. As shown herein, shoulder ends 6i}: and-illare symmetrically high with respect to teeth Wand, consequently, theshoulder ends correspondingly adjacent face lila arelower relativelytheretotha-nthe shoulder ends correspondingly adjacentthe' low face arerelatively to the ;low face. In other respects, guard member 220 is thesame guard member 22b.

While I have illustrated and described the in .vcntion in the preferredform, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not; limited tothe precise details shown and described and that variations andmodifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I Eclaim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: I

l. A safety razor including, in combination, relatively movable cap andguard members having blade-clamping faces cooperative for transver elyflexing and clamping a flexible razor blade, the cap member having ahollow bladeclam'ping ifacathe guard member being facedly reversible andhaving two oppositely disposed blade-clamping faces either of which iscooperati vc with the cap member for transversely flexing the blade,slain guards forming opposite longitudinal side edges of the guard, oneof said blade-clamping faces of the guard member being higher at itssides above the skin guards than the other, rigid blade-positioningprojections extending downwardly from the cap member to engage'the guardmember for guiding said mem- "bers relatively towards each other, saidprojections having slightly tapered upper side portions tapering in thedirection of the cap member for "guiding the blade as it is being flexedand centrall'y arched towards the cap member for positioning the bladerelative to the guard member,

and a -handlemember for moving said cap and guard members relativelytowards each other.

- A safety 1 razor including, in combination, relatively movable cap andguardmembershaving, blade-clamping faces cooperative for transverselyflexing and clamping a flexible -razor blade, the cap member having ahollow-bladeclamping face,-the guard member being facedly reversible andhaving two oppositely disposed blade-clamping'faces either of Which iscooperative with the capmember for transversely flexing the blade, skinguards forming opposite 1ongitudinal sideedges of the guard and having,at opposite ends, shoulders forming blade-corner "skin. guards disposedrelatively higher to the blade-clamping' faces of the guard member" thanthe sliinguard portions between said shoulders, oneofsaid'blade-clampingfaces of the guard member'beinghigher at its sidesabove the skin guards than the other, rigid blade-positioningprojections extendingdownwardly from the cap member to engagethe guardmember itorguiding said members relatively towards each, other, saidprojections having slightly tapered upper side portions tapering in thedirection of the cap member for guiding the blade "as it is being flexedand'oentrally arched towards the cap member for positioning thebladerelative to the guard member, and a handle'memb'er-for moving saidcap and guard members relatively towards each other.

as safety razor including, in combination, relatively movable cap' andguard members having blade-clamping facescooperative fortransverselyflexing and clamping a flexible razor blade'the cap member having" ahollow bladeclamping face, rigid blade-positioning projections extendingdownwardly from the cap member and havingguard-guidingside portions toengage the guard'member for guiding "saidmembers relatively towards eachother, said projections having slightly tapered upper side portionstapering in direction of the cap member for guiding the blade as it isbeing flexed and centrally arched towards'the cap member for positioningthe blade -relative to the guard member, said guard-guiding sideportions of said projections being so adapted to the blade-clamping faceof the cap member as to-"be disposed in the blade for initiallypositioning theblade whenthe latter is in a flat condition and insurface engagement'with the blade- ;clamping faces of said members, anda handle member for moving said cap and guard members relatively towardseach other.

JOHN 'T. SCULLY.

References. Gitedin the file of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS NumberName Date 1,486,317 'Barry Mar. 11, 1924 1,883,962 Swan Nov. 22, 19321,947,244 Bradbury Feb, 13, 1934 1,971,985 Laird "Aug. 28, 19342,089,486 Kuhn Aug. 10, 1937 2,213,062 Brandenthaler Aug. 27, 19402,262,588 Mailman Nov. 11, 1941 2,273,261 Gump Feb.'l7, 1942

